I know I can't be the only one wishing for fall and cooler weather. I want to move some plumerias that are water hogs, re-do that bed, and plant a vegetable garden. I've grown tomatoes and peppers before, but nothing else. After reading Dave's article about raised beds, I've gathered all kinds of tree bark and leaf mold to use in a huge raised bed I have. It's going to be a food garden (or a monumental waste of time and space) next spring.

I guess that's what I like about the change of seasons. There's always something to look forward to.

So what are you planning?

I 've several Mayhaws that I intend to plant this fall.....that is,.......if I have reason to believe they'll have a reasonable chance to survive

I look forward to the time when the " aka " - red spider lilies or hurricane lily ( Lycoris radiata) start bloomin'.....use to be latter part of September - 1st part of October....in these parts....will be interesting to see when they bloom this year

Wish I could display a picture....I recently changed ISP (Using broadband receiver)....to be able to surf at a decent speed.....didn't realize they would have a limited "file size" of 2Mb.... that I can upload....lookin' for a solution.

when I get back to house I think I can help you re-size them.

Sending you a tree mail.

I'm going to make a second stab at the raised beds in the back with some lettuce and tomatoes. I think it just got too hot for anything to survive once a day waterings. Yes, they were still 'green' but all the leaves had shriveled. I'm also going to look into the rain water harvesting DIY setup. Not in too big a hurry right now, but I figure Mama Nature will gift us again eventually.

I feel bad for one of my ex co-workers. She built a house in Henley and they don't have a well - just a 5000 gallon water tank. Not sure how well that thing is doing for them...

They probably will have to have it trucked in. It's scary.

Hmmmmm.....if they're trucking it in......I'm curious how much that would cost and how frequent the delivery would be needed

There are areas of Travis County where they have to have the water trucked in. I think it's called bulk water delivery. It's potable water for drinking, to fill cisterns, also water to fill pools,etc.

Sandi, I saw some of the Heartleaf Hibiscus in your first picture and I want to tell you that I also have them form the seeds you sent me a few years back. Thank you very much, they are beautiful.

I'm so glad! There's a gardener in New Jersey who asked me for seeds. He's trying to hybridize hibiscus that will be hardy in NJ. He recently sent a photo of his and I have to admit, his is fuller and has more blooms than the parent plant here! Mine is sulking in the intense heat.

He was also searching everywhere for a Yellow Rosemallow calyphyllus in May. He could only find one in a nursery here in Austin, but they wouldn't ship it to him. He got in touch with me and I told him that nursery was nearly "just around the corner!" I was able to send him four small ones, and two were blooming.

When it gets cool enough, I might plant some things I should have planted earlier in the year. I've never had much luck with hibiscus, except for the native Heartleaf Hibiscus. Ah...I have two kinds of calylophus...one is yelow, the other is yellow and black! I have to watch myself today...kind of off-kilter, keep messing things up...I even managed to turn everything on my computer screen 90 degrees around earlier, top of the page to the right, bottom to the left on the monitor. Even DH had never heard of that, but he eventually fixed it!

If the heat ever goes away I have some seeds to put out and try my garden beds again. Instead of raising them I went down instead. Dug down put black landscape lining the "trench" and out the edges and filled it with compost and dirt...worked good for spring and things were still going until the heat cooked it.
I have a few things surviving in the green house so when it cools off they are going in the ground to get a head start on next summer.

Have you had rain in Tyler area?

Rain? what is rain? that's a 4 letter word maybe it's a bad word
ok seriously no nothing to help and if there has been any it's been 12" worth ...12 " between the drops

I will need to extend my sprinkler system, The first clue was when the cosmos died...and the phlox was on it's way to certain death...I have been hand watering b/c there are some expensive clematis there (I hope)
I think I may move some of my shade plants like japanese painted fern and wavy cloak ...they are getting blasted by sun even though they are under the tree.
I started a raised bed in the spring that is cooking...I have also been reading about using wood pieces in a raised bed on DG too.Have you been collecting them in the woods?

Rain's not a bad word, but drought IS!

Anna, Dave wrote an article (July18, I think) about making a raised bed with wood pieces. I dragged home a plastic bag full of tree bark that popped off one of our mulberry trees at the lake. DH almost threw the bag away! If it ever cools off, I hope to plant something in my raised bed.

I tried to dig in the raised bed this morning. The dirt was hard and clumpy. I will be watering and amending the soil. It was pretty good dirt last year. I didn't do anything with it this year. I buried some kitchen scraps in the hole that I'd stored in the freezer. Time will tell.

OH!!! I got my totes at Target on Friday. Four of them! Now all I have to do is...do something with them.

Do you need a bunch of gallon pots to fill up the bottom of the totes? I have way too many and can share. I pulled lots out to take the the garden club mtg. and I till have too many. Then DD decided she wasn't going to keep extra clay pots, so I have those too. Those I'll use before plastic ones!

I gave away most of my pots so actually yes I do need a few! I think I have three so I'd need...9 more? Does that sound right?